Homecoming doesn't bring victory

A Dino ball carrier gets pulled to the ground during the first half of the Carbon-Ogden game on Friday. The Tigers won 17-14.

Just about two minutes into the second half of Friday nights football game at Dinostadium Ogden head coach Ed Larson felt it was time to voice his opinion of the officials after two successive penalties had been lodged against his team.

"You can't get a break in this town can you," he yelled at the nearest referee, who immediately told him that any more outbursts could result in being thrown off the field.

But those words coming from the visiting coach's mouth somehow seemed to be the turning point in the game, as the Tigers came back from a 14-3 deficit at that point and in a matter of minutes put two touchdowns and two extra points on the board and then held on to a 17-14 victory over the hapless Dinos.

From the beginning of the game everyone knew it would be a struggle for both teams. The Dinos, excited over the fact that it was homecoming and the fact that they had led Emery at the half in last weeks game, knew if they could put two good halves of football together they could get their first win of the season.

Meanwhile Ogden also came into town desperate for a victory with their season record a dismal 1-6-0, and going nowhere fast as they play in a strong Region 11 with teams like Bear River and Morgan.

As the contest began it appeared Ogden had the edge. On their first position they began to move the ball quite boldly and it appeared the Carbon defense could be in for a long night.

They were, but that didn't become apparent until the second half, because after that Ogden appeared to not have a center who could hike the ball. Ogden's quarterback continually had to jump for pigskins hiked over his head or to the left and right. And there was no telling which way the ball was going to go each time it was centered.

The Carbon defense ate this up going after a disoriented Tiger backfield time and time again.

Meanwhile the Carbon offense, which sputtered initially began to wind up it's motor, slowly but surely. They made some good gains, but couldn't quite get it over the goal line until just as time was expiring for the first quarter when senior Chris Hatch went over the goal line and Dustin Howa added the extra point.

The trend continued into the second quarter as within a few plays the Tigers gave up the ball again and this time the Dinos marched down the field with sophomore quarterback Brandon Wilson tossing a 13 yard pass to Daniel Davis to bring another touchdown to the Carbon side of the scoreboard. Again, Howa put the extra point up and the Dinos led 14-0.

It was actually beginning to look like a rout to much of the crowd, including the small contingent of Ogden fans on the east side of the field who kept yelling they were getting homered. But little did anyone know, that was the end of Carbon's scoring binge.

The score held until almost right at half time when a freak 27 yard pass through the hands of the Dino secondary brought the Tigers within scoring distance of the goal. With time running off the clock, Ogden was able to put it between the goal posts and as the teams went into the locker room the score was 14-3.

When the second half began, the Dinos came out confidently but the lesson they learned against Emery the week before must not have sunk in.

After the penalties against Ogden, the Tigers suddenly got their tanks full and began to grind out plays. The ball seldom flew from the centers hand in various directions and the quarterback was able to control things a little more. But the Carbon defense was stubborn and kept the Tigers at bay until 3:38 remained in the third quarter when they finally pushed the ball over for a score and the extra point.

These moves toward the goal line by the Tigers were often precipitated not by a defense that let down, but by an offense that coughed up the ball more often than pinball machine. Carbon lost the ball on numerous fumbles and miscues.

As that continued the Tigers took more advantage of the home teams mistakes. Only two minutes after their first touchdown of the game, the team from Ogden put across the goal line again and also put up the extra point.

The quarter ended, but the turnovers didn't. Time and time again the Carbon offense would just get going and an interception or another fumble would plague them all during the quarter.

Meanwhile the multi-directional centering of the ball by Ogden began in earnest once again. Neither could get much momentum up and no one crossed the goal lines again.

For Ogden it was a satisfying ride home. For Carbon it was a long walk of defeat to the locker room.

In other games involving teams from Region 8 league leading Delta was crushed by Cedar City 30-14. But second place Lehi took it to 4A Timpanogos 15-13. In another non-league game North Sanpete beat Uintah 35-14. And finally, Carbon's neighbor to the south, Emery, took a knockout punch to the chin with a 49-6 posting at the hands of third ranked Park City.

The Dinos have one last chance to regroup and salvage a season that has included a number of key injuries and young players trying to learn their way through the football maze.

On Friday the Hawks of North Sanpete come to town. A .500 team, the Dinos have a good chance to come away with a victory over the Sanpete team particularly if they can hold onto the ball and execute their offense like they did in the last minute of the first quarter on Friday night.